Happy with the blueberry hedge

The clematis plant, also known as the peach tree or the tree of life, is a woody plant with the scientific name Crescentia cujete. The clematis fruit looks like a grapefruit but is solid inside, has no segments, and is used in folk medicine with many health benefits.

In my hometown, Quang Ngai , the cycad tree is planted a lot. People plant it as a fence around the house, both to prevent cattle and to create shade. The cycad leaves are green all year round, the tree trunk is flexible, the roots grow deep into the ground, sturdy against the sun and wind of the Central region. Since I was little, I have seen the cycad fence in front of the house as a protective wall, as the hands of my parents reaching out to keep us safe.

That year, the flood was huge, it rained for many days, the water from upstream poured down in a torrent. The river in front of the village, which was usually gentle, suddenly became fierce, overflowed its banks, crossed the fields, swept away mud and people's property. We only had time to move a few belongings to higher ground, then sat and watched the water gradually rise to the doorstep.

In the middle of the muddy water, a giant block of wood was being swept away by the flood. It was the wood to prepare for building a school, including cypress trees and cypress trees as big as an adult's thigh, each tree was up to five meters long. The water swirled loudly, pushing the block of wood like a giant monster drifting along the flood, moving nearly a hundred meters. Everyone was scared, only praying that it would not hit any house. The block of wood stopped right at the fence of the cycads in front of my house. The rough cycad roots, firmly attached to the ground, held the block of wood weighing nearly a ton, preventing it from crashing into the family's small house. There were several cycad trees that were broken, their trunks full of scratches, their leaves falling in tatters and drifting away with the water, but my house was fortunately still intact because the block of wood was anchored to the cycad fence.

In that dangerous moment, my family could only leave their fate to God. I did not dare to think, if that hedge of banyan trees "gave up", what would happen to the house and the people in the house. The flood receded. My mother stood there with red eyes, looking at the hedge, her voice choked: "If it weren't for this banyan tree, there would be no house to live in and no one knows what would happen to her." I looked at the broken and withered tree stumps and felt my heart ache as if I had just lost a close friend who had silently sacrificed himself to protect my family.

Since then, to me, the hedge of blueberries is no longer just a row of trees in front of the gate. It has become a symbol of vitality, of resilience in hardship.

Having lived in the South for many years, every time I hear news of storms and floods causing devastation to the people of the Central and Northern regions, my heart aches. Looking at the raging flood, I remember the hedge of cycads in front of my house, the green leaves swaying in the wind, the rough but sturdy and compassionate cycad roots. I am extremely grateful to the cycad hedges, the “mythical arms” that shielded the raging flood and supported my family’s happiness.

Nguyen Van

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/van-hoa/202510/hanh-phuc-voi-hang-rao-bong-tay-3ff1c3f/